Stories

Bryan Rotarians will be unable to deliver flags to homes and businesses for Memorial Day 2020 due to COVID concerns, but, we still want to honor the tradition and invite you to post remembrances or share your own flag photos on our Facebook Event page using the tag #TogetherWeHonor.

Bryan Rotary is partnering with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive at the Red Cross office in Bryan (4244 Boonville Rd.) this Saturday, March 28th. As the Executive Director of the Heart of Texas Chapter of the American Red Cross, I am charged with ensuring our blood drives are safe and that we can continue to supply blood to our community and country regardless of natural disaster, warfare or pandemics. I am requesting assistance from my fellow Rotarians as I navigate this mission in unprecedented circumstances.

Disruptions to blood donations can lead to shortages and cause delays in essential medical care. As of Monday, 3/23/2020, about 7,000 blood drives, representing approximately 200,000 fewer blood donations, have been canceled in the U.S. due to COVID-19 concerns. As concerns about the coronavirus pandemic rise, you can help by simply communicating these vital messages to the public:

• Donating blood is a safe process and people should not be concerned about giving or receiving blood during this challenging time.

• More healthy donors are needed to give now to prevent a blood shortage.

• Keep scheduled blood drives, which will allow donors the opportunity to give blood. As an emergency preparedness organization, the Red Cross has also taken additional steps to ensure the safety of staff and donors at each Red Cross blood drive.

As we all know, COVID-19 has us taking extra precautions in an effort to curb the onset of cases. In line with that objective, the board has voted to cancel our club meetings for the remainder of March and April 1.

As you may have heard, there is a serious shortage of blood in the blood banks. No surprise, Rotarian AJ Renold and her team at the Red Cross have been working tirelessly to assemble a full team to be able to host a blood drive locally.

We will need 30 people who are able to donate blood to show up to donate on Saturday, March 28th. Further details on time and location will be forthcoming. In the meantime, please download the "Blood Donor American Red Cross" app to your phone so you can be prepared to give. Also, please encourage friends and family to do the same.

Rotarians, I'm so very honored to serve as your president and to call you friends. Should you have a need, please make it known to me so we can step up. We are the family of Rotary and we will get through this together.

Click here for the online nomination formto identify a business eligible for the Bryan Rotary 10 Awards Program. Help us celebrate 27 years of honoring small businesses and watch the winners walk the blue carpet!

QUALIFICATIONS:1) Independent, privately-held corporation, proprietorship or partnership that has been in business at least 5 years (franchises are not eligible); 2) Headquartered in Brazos County; 3) Sales of more than $50,000 but less than $25 million in fiscal 2014; 4) Five-year sales history (2015-2019) must show an increase from fiscal 2018-2019.

For the 27th year, Bryan Rotary wants to recognize the 10 fastest growing privately owned small businesses in the Brazos Valley. Nominated companies will receive an application to submit their gross sales information. All submissions are confidential and only the percentage of sales growth is published for the winners. We need you to help identify every company that may be eligible for this prestigious awards program.

And, Save the Date, June 17, 2020, for our Awards Luncheon when we will announce the 10 Fastest Growing Businesses in the Brazos Valley.

Bryan Rotary Clubs thanks ANCO insurance for underwriting the 2020 BRC10 Awards program and appreciates the ongoing partnership with the B/CS Chamber of Commerce and the Texas A&M Mays School of Business for their support and participation.

The Bryan Rotary Club will award $10,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations in the Bryan-College Station area. The grant program was created to fund projects and programs which align with the goals of Rotary to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. The applicants must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, be organized and managed by the applicant/organization, fill one or more major unmet community needs and have measurable results.

The deadline for submitting an application is March 10, 2020, and the recipients will be notified on March 20, 2020.

For more information and to download the application form, click HERE.

Tag#TwoInBlue and help show your support for our Local Bryan Police Department by sponsoring American flags in the Field of Valor to honor their vocation! This is a 2 for 1 offer! For a $50 donation, we will post flags in the names of two people who serve daily in the Bryan Police Department. We'll assign the Officer names to your tag, so just Click here to donate.

You are invited to our RotaryTri-Club Picnic Party with your family on Wednesday, September 11, 2019. Come and go between 4:00-8:00 pm.

This will be hosted outdoors on Dan Warden's property. Come by after school with your kids and grandkids for yard games and a kid friendly supper!

Bryan Rotary Club will provide hot dogs & chips with the fixins' along with Lemonade. You are welcome to bring a dessert or beverage of choice to share. We hope to see you all there as we connect with the Family of Rotary. Please RSVP so know whether to expect you.

If you have questions, call Dan Warden at 979-571-6577 or Aron Collins at 979-574-0667.

Only members of the Aggieland, Bryan and College Station Rotary Clubs may submit nominations.

This award is given annually to a Brazos County business that has successfully contributed to the quality of life of the community, has achieved a high level of success and respect in their industry and whose business philosophy is consistent with the Object of Rotary and/or the Rotary Four Way Test.

CRITERIA TO CONSIDER WHEN NOMINATINGThe Business:

Must have a substantial presence in Brazos County,

Must have been operating in Brazos County for an extended time,

Should have had a positive economic impact on the community and/or provided job growth in the community.

Click here for the online nomination formto identify a business eligible for the Bryan Rotary 10 Awards Program. Help us celebrate 26 years of honoring small businesses and watch the winners walk the blue carpet!

QUALIFICATIONS:1) Independent, privately-held corporation, proprietorship or partnership that has been in business at least 5 years (franchises are not eligible); 2) Headquartered in Brazos County; 3) Sales of more than $50,000 but less than $25 million in fiscal 2014; 4) Five-year sales history (2014-2018) must show an increase from fiscal 2017-2018.

For the 26th year, Bryan Rotary wants to recognize the 10 fastest growing privately owned small businesses in the Brazos Valley. Nominated companies will receive an application to submit their gross sales information. All submissions are confidential and only the percentage of sales growth is published for the winners. We need you to help identify every company that may be eligible for this prestigious awards program.

And, Save the Date, June 26, 2018, for our Awards Luncheon when we will announce the 10 Fastest Growing Businesses in the Brazos Valley.

Bryan Rotary Clubs thanks ANCO insurance for underwriting the 2019 BRC10 Awards program and appreciates the ongoing partnership with the B/CS Chamber of Commerce and the Texas A&M Mays School of Business for their support and participation.

The Bryan Rotary club will fund a total of $10,000 for local projects. Projects and programs should align with the goals of Rotary to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. Projects should be sustainable and measurable. Deadline to submit is March 12.

For more information and to download the application form, click HERE.

Take time November 10-18 to walk through the Field of Valor virtual field trip at Veterans Park. It's geared towards 5th grade students to #Inspire experiential learning. Look for the signs posted at 10 history stations located along the memorial trail. Start at the flag field closest to the softball parking lot with a pledge to the American flag and end with a moment of silence at the War on Terror monument featuring a piece of the World Trade Centers from the 9/11 attack. Click the YouTube playlist below for short video clips provided by Mr. Pratt (A&M Consolidated US History and Economics teacher) and download or print the script booklet to read about the 10 history stations.

For Veterans Week 2018, November 11-18, the Bryan Rotary Club will setup our 7th Annual Field of Valor - 1000 Flag Salute to Service. The Bryan Rotary Field of Valor exists to SERVE the community through funds raised, to HONOR our military, veterans, and first-responders who serve selflessly, and to EDUCATE students through scholarships and Teacher mini-grants. Thank you for your support!

The funds and services donated help honor veterans, active military, & first responders, and support our key education initiatives including teacher mini-grants, community grants, and student scholarships.

For Veterans Week 2017, November 4-12, the Bryan Rotary Club will setup our 6th Annual Field of Valor - a patriotic display of 1000 American flags in Veterans Park. The primary purposes of the FOV are to raise funds to SERVE the community, to HONOR our military, veterans, and first-responders who serve selflessly, and to EDUCATE students through scholarships and Teacher mini-grants. Thank you for your support!

QUALIFICATIONS:1) Independent, privately-held corporation, proprietorship or partnership that has been in business at least 5 years (franchises are not eligible); 2) Headquartered in Brazos County; 3) Sales of more than $50,000 but less than $25 million in fiscal 2012; 4) Five-year sales history (2011-2015) must show an increase from fiscal 2015-2016.

2017 Club Grants Now Available for Local Projects!

The Bryan Rotary club will fund up to $10,000 for local projects. Projects and programs should align with the goals of Rotary that is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. Projects should be sustainable and measurable.

RESTRICTIONS

A proposal should:

Be from a 501(c)3 non-profit organization

Be organized and managed by the applicant/organization

Fill one or more major unmet community needs

Be able to measure results of project

Grant funds cannot be used for:

The establishment of a foundation, permanent trust, or long-term interest-bearing account

At our Blood Drive on Wednesday, August 3, twenty-three Qualifying Donors contributed 36 Units of Blood which doubled the totals from our January drive. This impressive result occurred because so many donors volunteered to do automated donations through the apheresis machines. A special thanks to the many Bryan & Aggieland Rotarians who took time to donate and especially to Charles Gilliland for coordinating the drive! Check out the video link and we hope you can join us in January 2012 at our next blood drive.

Over the past several months the officers, board of directors and several interested members of the Bryan Rotary Club have undertaken a three year strategic planning process. The three outcome goals from this process were recently presented to the club. As a result of this planning process, the Bryan Rotary Club will focus on achieving the following goals during the period of 2011-2013: